How Long to Keep a Brooder Lamp on Baby Chicks (Video)

Hank Will, Editor-in-chief of GRIT Magazine, answers the reader submitted question, “How long should I keep a heat lamp on my chicks in the brooder?”

The amount of time that you should keep a heat lamp on a brooder depends on a number of things. The most important thing to remember about using a brooder on your baby chicks is that the heat lamp and brooder should keep your chicks warm when they can’t keep themselves warm. Outside temperature, temperature inside of the brooder, the amount of fuzz and feathers on their body and how much body mass they have should also be taken into account. Typically, it’s best to keep the brooder light on for 6-12 weeks and make sure that the chickens are fully feathered out before removing the light.

Once chickens are fully feathered, they should be able to keep themselves warm as long as they are out of the wind and cold weather. Building some shelter should help to keep them warm during the colder seasons.